CT 2nd Congressional District Race: Courtney Seeks Another Term

CONNECTICUT — Longtime Rep. Joe Courtney is seeking another term in Congress, representing the 2nd District, which primarily covers the New London area. He will face off against Republican Mike France, Green Party candidate Kevin Blacker and Libertarian Party candidate William Hall.

Joe Courtney

Courtney was first elected to Congress in 2006. Prior to that, he served a four-term stint in the state House of Representatives, where he represented Vernon. He lives in Vernon with his wife Audrey, and they have two children.

He was the only member of Connecticut’s House delegation to vote against the Troubled Assets Relief Program, which provided bailout funds to financial institutions during the Great Recession. He said the program was “ill-advised” and banks continued to foreclosure on borrowers, according to The Day.

Courtney serves on the House Armed Services Committee and has been an advocate for submarine building in Connecticut, which supports numerous jobs in the congressional district. He has also pushed for funding for the military submarine base in New London. His colleagues in the House sometimes refer to him as "Two Sub Joe" due to his advocacy for submarine building.

Mike France (Republican)

France is currently serving his fourth term as the state representative for the 42nd district, which covers Ledyard and portions of Preston, Uncasville and Montville. He is also chairman of the Conservative Caucus.

He served in the U.S. Navy and completed three deployments in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch. France retired from the Navy after 20 years of active duty service.

France lives in Gales Ferry with his wife. He has six children and four grandchildren.

Kevin Blacker (Green Party)

Blacker is an outspoken critic of the state’s Port Authority, according to The Day.

He was charged with criminal mischief in 2020 after spray-painting signs near the project, according to state police. His court case is still pending.

William Hall (Libertarian Party)